NCCN News
Journal: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2022)

Vaccines, Children With Cancer, and Other Developments NCCN has released updated recommendations from the NCCN Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis.This latest evidence-based, expert consensus-formulated summary on cancer and COVID-19 vaccination and prevention is available for free at NCCN.org/covid-19.Significant revisions include new recommendations for the recently approved bivalent vaccines and advice on protecting children with cancer."There is a lot to keep track of when it comes to keeping people with cancer safe from poor outcomes related to COVID-19.Our committee of leading experts meets frequently to examine all of the latest research and organizes it into a clear, one-stop source for people with cancer, their loved ones, and their health teams," said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN."We've expanded our committee for this latest update to include a focus on pediatric patients.Some of the foremost authorities on children's healthcare joined multidisciplinary physicians from across NCCN's Member Institutions, which also included expertise in vaccine development and delivery, infectious diseases, cancer management, and medical ethics."The updated guidance features comprehensive explanations for who should be considered immunocompromised and what that means for booster eligibility and scheduling.The information is categorized by type of malignancy and/or treatment, and also by type of vaccine.Important new information includes: Immunosuppressed people who have previously received a 3-dose primary series and boosting through prior recommendations are now eligible to receive one of the bivalent boosters if they are aged $12 years for Pfizer, or aged $18 years for Moderna.This has been shown to improve immune response against Omicron strains in people with full immune system capacity.The committee supports this recent approval but cautions that they are still awaiting data on bivalent booster effectiveness in immunocompromised people.Moderna is the preferred mRNA vaccine for pediatric immunosuppressed patients aged 6 months to 17 years.Preliminary data show myocarditis cases are rare, although relatively more frequent in adolescent and young adult males aged $16 years.Most patients fully recover."Protecting kids from harm is one of the most important things we can do," said Tina Q. Tan, MD, Infectious Diseases physician at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern Medicine, who joined the NCCN committee as a Co-Leader."That's why we recommend vaccination against COVID-19 for anyone over 6 months of age, especially infants, children, and adolescents who are immunocompromised.It is especially important for eligible household members and caregivers to make sure they are vaccinated as well, since immunocompromised children under age 12 or weighing less than 40 kg are unable to receive monoclonal antibodies for protection."NCCN's recommendations point out that vaccine hesitancy in the general population impedes the development of herd (community) immunity, which leaves people with cancer at higher risk.Reducing community spread will help